Whistle
by custosCathedra
Summary: Damara shows up at Kankri's door in the rain, soaked to her skin and upset. Rufioh and her have broken their matespritship and she seeks comfort in the only person she thinks she can trust to be strictly pale. Kankri pities her and finds her cute, enticing even, but chalks up the red blooms in his heart to primal urges to fill Damara's newly freed quadrant. Will they or won't they?
1. Strictly Pale

The calm of the night had been broken by a torrential storm. Rain pounded on the windows of Kankri's hive and thunder rattled the thin panes. He was seated comfortably on his couch, lounging with a book he had been attempting to finish reading for weeks. Kankri found the story charming and distracting from the thunder and lightning outside, the crashing and roaring had always been a fear of his. Lightning struck after a period of soft rain and he jolted, nearly throwing the book across the room. Kankri sighed, and tried to relax once again, this time disturbed by a knock at the door.

"For the love of all that is good in this world! I swear on my vow if Cronus is on the other side of this door I will..," he opened the door and there stood...Damara? She was drenched with rainwater, her arms crossed and a pout on her lips. Red mascara ran down her cheeks from the water dripping down her face, "Goodness, Damara! Come in, are you alright? You should have brought an umbrella with you. Perhaps let me know you were coming in advance, it can be triggering to.." He paused as he felt his sweater dampen. Lowering his gaze a bit, the rust-blooded girl was hugging him, her face buried in his chest. He tensed, "Damara, please...let go."

"Kankri...apology..to you," her broken accent was quite apparent as she let go and looked at the ground as if in shame. Kankri looked beyond confused and stood there stunned. She noticed and gave a little bow, "Forgive touches?"

"Damara, you are quite alright. No need for an apology, I simply wasn't expecting such...intimate contact," he tugged at his sweater examining the damp spots, "At least your cosmetics are red so they won't stain my sweater," he gave an awkward chuckle trying to lighten the oddly weighty tone. She simply made a hiccup-like sob. Kankri felt like ice just shot through his veins and shivered at the sound. It wasn't rain that had made her mascara run, "Let's get you inside...you'll catch a cold out there," he tried to remember how Porrim mothered him when he was sad. Kankri reached out shakily, "Trigger warning pale touch," he set his hands on her shoulders lightly, guiding her inside.

She let him lead her inside, choking back little sobs. Damara was grateful the rain dripping from her hair hid the tears rolling down her cheeks. Her night so far had been gog awful, last thing she needed was to be lectured by Kankri for desiring pale contact from him. Damara really had no one else to go to, Rufioh was...well, used to be her only quadrant she had filled. Now, she had nobody. Kankri released her shoulders and stepped in front of her, she could feel him looking down at her and braced for the worst.

"Please lift your head," he requested in a cool, calm tone, "I find it unnerving to talk to someone's hair..," she lifted her head to look him in the eye, struggling to maintain her gaze, "I don't wish to make you uncomfortable, but perhaps you should change out of those wet clothes? I have some spare items I can let you borrow, I simply can't have you catch a cold," her face contorted in an expression of confusion.

"I borrow clothes…" she mumbled and simply nodded, he smiled a bit

"I'll also get you a towel, your cosmetics are smeared and running...that can't be very comfortable for someone who tries to look nice," Kankri was attempting to be kind and compliment her. He was a bit harsh and stubborn, but he wasn't a total jerk. He knew something bad must have happened, she was a pretty private troll and crying in front of someone wouldn't be the norm. Damara's lips curled in a small smile at that. She was confused, but not about to take his kindness for granted, "Once I retrieve the clothes, you may change in my respiteblock. I request you keep your hands off my possessions. While you're changing would you like tea or hot cocoa to warm you up?"

"Please cocoa, little puffs?" She brightened up a little bit and made a pinching gesture with her index finger and thumb, mimicking squishing something. Kankri tried to avoid smiling too much at the slight change in her mood. Porrim would be proud.

"Ah, marshmallows. Yes, of course. Now follow me," he started off to his respiteblock with Damara trailing behind looking around at his hive. It was so neat, and plain. Hers was a mess, covered in clutter and the walls coated in posters for various animes. The posters she'd probably take down when she went home, she didn't want the memories lingering. She bumped into the soft knit of Kankri's sweater, he had stopped in front of her to open his door, "Oh! Goodness, Damara may I implore you to be more careful?" He opened his door and she stepped into his respiteblock.

"Very clean, you do good keep all neat," she smiled looking around a bit in awe. Mostly because the thought that she's probably the only outsider that's ever been in Kankri's respiteblock passed through her head. It was almost as plain as the rest of his hive, but she noticed little trinkets and books on some shelves.

Kankri had gone to his closet and opened the door to a wardrobe consisting mostly of the same red sweater and black pants he wore every day. He hummed to himself as he snatched a sweater off a hanger and tried to figure out what to give her for bottoms. Damara had wandered to the far side of his room to look at the spines of his books. The titles were long, each involving lengthy synonyms for simple words. Kankri had settled upon giving her a pair of shorts that he had outgrown as a wriggler for he figured his pants might be a bit big on her frame. He turned to see Damara about to touch one of the books.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat, to which she jolted and turned to face him with an apologetic smile, "Here are the clothes, I will attend to making some hot chocolate for you. If you need anything don't hesitate to request any assistance," he set the clothes folded neatly on his bed.

She watched him as he left the room and shut the door. He was being awfully kind. Sure, he was his usual uptight self, but overall he was being warm. Damara shrugged off the confusion and stripped away her wet clothes leaving them in a pile on the floor. She shivered at the cold air hitting her damp, bare skin and quickly reached for the shorts and slipped them on. Damara giggled, he must have been so small as a wriggler for them to fit her so nicely. She then grabbed the sweater and began to put it on, pulling it down best she could. The fabric wouldn't move...she tugged a bit harder. She was stuck with the neck of the sweater partially past her horns.

"Kankri!" she called out, her face was flushed a bit in embarrassment as she attempted to pull it down further. The fabric of his sweater just barely covered her chest from its position stuck on her horns.

"Coming!" He responded from his kitchen, he had just finished pouring the cocoa for the both of them and set the tea kettle back on the stove with a small clang. Moving to his room he opened the door, "What do you..oh my…" his face flushed candy red and a hand flew up to cover his eyes, "Damara! You know very well that exposure of skin in such a manner can be quite triggering! Are you trying to upset me?" He sounded more irritated than he intended to.

"Stuck...sweater around horns.." She whimpered, glad he couldn't see that she was upset with herself. She heard Kankri sigh.

"Stay still," Kankri moved closer to her and reluctantly uncovered his eyes. Oh gog, it felt lewd just looking at her. He made quick work of stretching the fabric to move past her horns and settle on her chest. The sweater was large on her, the bottom hem reaching the hem of the shorts he gave her...she looked like she had no pants on. Kankri's flush grew worse, "T-there. If you would like to, you may settle on the couch and I'll bring you hot cocoa," Damara looked at him confused, why was he so red? She simply smoothed the sweater down and nodded, shuffling to the couch.

Kankri just watched her go wide eyed. Why was his hemo-pusher beating faster? He shrugged it off best he could and went to gather her wet clothes to put in the dryer. He picked them up and went to his little drying unit in a separate room. Opening the lid he gingerly placed each item in. Shirt, skirt,...panties...oh gog...panties. He restrained a squeak bubbling in his throat, chucked the panties in the dryer with a horrified face and slammed the lid. Kankri started it up and went to get the cocoa, hopefully it hadn't gotten cold.

Damara was situated on the couch, sprawled out as if it was her own. She had her face nuzzled up against a pillow, the tears had come back full force and left little damp spots on the pillow. The fabric of Kankri's sweater was soft and smelled comforting, she rubbed the material between her fingers to soothe herself. Kankri approached with the mugs of cocoa and looked her over before coming into her line of sight. He almost chuckled at the sight of her, she looked like a tuckered out wriggler.

"May I sit with you?" He asked softly. She made a mumble and buried her face in the pillow, "Damara, I can't hear you with your face full of caw-beast feather pillow" she didn't answer, but simply sat up, giving him space to sit next to her. Damara curled her knees up to her chest and rested her head atop her knees, "Thank you," he moved to sit next to her, holding a mug and setting the other down in front of her on the small coffee table he kept. He could see the sadness in her eyes and sighed, "May I inquire as to what happened?" He readied himself for a harsh response.

"Rufioh break red for horse boy, he leave but no say," she worded it best she could in her mumbles, a couple tears rolled down her face. Kankri gave a bewildered look. Rufioh left her? Wait,...leave..but no say...he cheated?! On her? Kankri wasn't one for quadrants, but he knew how Damara was with him. She was sweet, kind...everything a matesprit should be by the book.

"Perhaps Rufioh has a hard time not taking things for granted, like your sweet demeanor," Kankri tried to reassure her, "Surely, he didn't leave because of inadequacy on your end," her breath hitched in a sob, "Trigger warning pale touch," Kankri's hand shook as he reached behind her and rubbed her back, scootching closer to make the reach less awkward. Damara lurched away from his touch for a moment before relaxing back and letting him rub her back.

"You think no fault of me?" She turned her head to rest the side of her face on her knees and look at him. Internally she questioned his honesty, on the basis of her own doubts and well, Kankri wasn't known to be so sympathetic.

"Honestly, I believe if there is fault to be had it's Rufioh's...pardon if I triggered you in taking sides on this matter," He had ceased rubbing her back and returned his hands to his lap, fiddling with his fingers. She gave him the weirdest feeling. His hemo-pusher raced a bit, his nutrient processing sack felt like there were knots in it. Kankri chalked it up to primal urge and nothing more, considering she had a newly empty caliginous quadrant. Damara had sat up and was giving him a funny look as if she was trying to figure something out, "W-what are you.."

"Trigger warning pale hug," she said plainly, her trigger warning accompanied by a tender smile and not long after a big, tight hug. Kankri made an audible gasp as he felt her fly into his lap with her arms around his neck. He gulped and hesitantly hugged back, letting her cling to him. This felt, nice. Not as uncomfortable as he expected, he held her a bit tighter.

"It'll be okay, nothing's going to hurt you while you're here at least...no one is going to hurt you," he mumbled, hoping she was too tired to hear him. He felt her breath deepen, she was dozing off in his arms. Kankri blushed and did his best to shift her off of him and onto the couch, grabbing a blanket and tucking her in as Porrim would have done for him, "Goodnight.." He kissed her forehead and went to his room. Content and confused with the odd feelings in his chest.


	2. Like it Never Happened

Damara had woken a while before Kankri after having a peaceful night's rest. She recalled wearing her self out from emotional distress and falling asleep in Kankri's arms. She blushed a bit as she remembered how kind he was. Certainly that had to be a rarity, if anything it was an anomaly in Kankri's usual staunch nature for him to let someone be so close. Damara figured she could repay him and make him breakfast. It was fortunate they were closer in height range than her and many of the other trolls, the cabinets were right within reach. Well, with a little tip toe. Quickly, she busied herself making him some breakfast as a big thank you; making some toast for herself to munch on as she cooked.

Kankri woke the next morning to the sound of dishes clattering in the kitchen. He spent a moment in a sleepy hazy as his consciousness came to him before he realized, noises...in the kitchen?! In his tiredness he'd forgotten all about the previous night and he scrambled out of bed to the kitchen to investigate. Kankri was a morning person, but waking to a possible break-in was far from a great way to start the day. He rounded the corner of the doorway into the kitchen and skidded to a halt.

It was an eyeful alright. Damara stood at his stove, the sleeves of the sweater he let her borrow rolled up, and a piece of toast hanging out of her mouth as she poked at vegetables in a pan with a spatula. She looked very concentrated on the task at hand and Kankri nearly had a heart attack at the same time he felt relief flood his body. He sighed, "The way you are holding those utensils is hardly appropriate. You are nimble enough to use chopsticks why not a spatula?" Damara startled with a gasp, the piece of toast falling into the pan and she groaned, turning off the heat and moving to dump the contents into the trash, "Wait, why are you throwing it away..its just a piece of bread."

"Gross...gross nasties.." she pointed to her mouth and then to the toast. She knew Kankri was a germophobe and could some days barely tolerate when someone sneezed near him.

"No, no Damara its fine..just pick it out, I don't mind," he honestly thought the fact she was cooking for him was adorable. NO. Not adorable, it was pleasant. That's all. Pleasant and kind. Damara simply gave him a stunned look before returning the pan to the stove, picking out the bread and turning on the heat. Once more, poking at the vegetables. Kankri pressed his palm to his head, "Damara, let me show you..," he stepped behind her and reached over to guide her arms. He soon realized he was too far away and reluctantly got closer. Her back touching his chest, "Stir them, poking doesn't do much really," he felt like he was choking as he guided her arms in a stirring motion.

"Can do self!" she pouted and nudged him back with her elbow and continued the motion he taught her. Damara was stubborn as a ram. He was relieved that she gestured him away, he was beginning to feel like he couldn't breathe. Kankri took a deep breath and simply sat back, leaning against a counter as he watched her.

"Did you sleep alright? Pardon me for not offering my bed, you were rather tired," He drummed his fingers on the counter-top, he felt...anxious. Well, he was always anxious, but this felt different.

"Sleep okay. Bit cold. Sweater very warm though, so alright" she smiled at him warmly and returned to cooking briefly before turning off the stove. It smelled lovely. Kankri closed his eyes and took a deep inhale of the pleasant aroma as Damara tip toed to try and get a plate from a cabinet above the counter top. She just wasn't able to reach it. When Kankri opened his eyes, the rust-blood had climbed up on the counter.

"Damara! Please, get down from there! Goodness! Oh dear that is far from safe or sanitary!" Kankri immediately was whipped into a fit of nerves at the sight of her standing on the counter. She seemed to pay no heed and grabbed a plate, sitting down on the counter and pushing off to land safely back on the ground.

"Gomen, Kankri." if it had been anyone else who dared to tell her what to do and tread the eggshells from the day before she would have cussed them out in Japanese and called it a day. Kankri was different though. She knew he could have been a jerk the night before or he could have scolded her far more for her actions, but he didn't. That's what had her by her still tender heart-strings. Kankri shook his head, partially at himself.

"I...it's fine, really. For future reference should you be in my hive again. I have a step stool beneath the sink there," he gestured to the sink, "In the cabinet on the left to be precise," he looked at the plate in her hand, "Only one plate? Aren't you going to eat too?" she smiled and shook her head.

"No, I eat toast, breakfast for you." Kankri felt that feeling coming on again. It irked him that he had no label for it. Irritating, that anxiety didn't fit the bill. Damara simply walked to the stove and dished out some of the vegetables, "You say once you no eat beast things, so I make vegetable stir fry" she giggled, "or fry be poke fry, say you" his cheeks heated up a bit at her giggling and jokes. Damara held the plate out to him with a fork and he took it with a tense, but grateful smile.

"Thank you, you really are far too kind," he speared a piece of veggie on the fork and took a bite. Now, Kankri being the bundle of anxiety and phobias he was...he was also a very picky eater. Stemmed from having one too many incidents involving eating Latula's cooking when he was young to try and show affection for her. He was silent, stunned really. It wasn't bad...it was a new kind of taste, but it wasn't bad at all, "You are an excellent cook," he smiled. Her food to any other troll would be average, but to Kankri whom no one could manage to feed on a first try (not even Porrim) it was delicious.

Damara's lips curled into a sweet smile and she gave a small bow. Quickly moving to the stove to pick up the dishes to scrub them. Kankri was mid-bite when he noticed and put his plate down hurriedly and stepped in front of the sink before she could even get there.

"Put the dishes in and _I_ will do them," she gave him a small pout coupled with a bit of a glare, "Please," she simply put them in the sink and then hip checked him to the side best she could.

"I put in, but I clean not you" she gave a stubborn huff and turned on the water, reaching in to do the dishes. Kankri raised a brow, oh two could play at this game. He lightly touched her shoulder.

"Trigger warning, forcefully moving someone," he pushed her gently aside and reached into the sink. Damara gave a little growl and simply shoved him aside a bit and snuck in the small space given to reach in and attempt to wash too, "Trigger warning, water" he pulled a hand out of the sink covered in soapy water and flicked it at Damara with a chuckle. He felt oddly free and relaxed, perhaps that unnameable feeling was gone. She froze as the water droplets spattered her face and upper chest.

"Trigger warning more!" she gave him a scrunched up face with a devilish grin and grabbed the faucet. Kankri had one of those sinks where the faucet had an extension cord, something he would come to regret in a moment's time. Damara quickly pulled the cord out a bit and briefly sprayed Kankri full on with a stream of warm water, laughing. Kankri looked from his now soaked sweater to Damara's cheerful smile. It was back. His chest felt like it was aching. She put the faucet back and crossed her arms with a smug look, "I wash you, now I wash dishes," receiving nothing but stunned silence she nudged him completely out of the way and got to work.

Kankri was once again stunned. For once in his life he didn't know zip about anything. He couldn't name the feeling in his chest, he couldn't understand how he felt so comfortable with her. Kankri felt like a child, he loathed the lack of knowledge he had in this moment, but adored the simple freedom he had. Like _it_ had never happened. Like he never had taken that vow...today would be a long day.


End file.
